A Demon's Weakness
by Sanura Bey
Summary: Catherine Jones, Daughter of the famed Captian Hook and Milah, spent most of her life in Neverland. She'd never expected to feel at home or fall for the Demon who ran the island. When the curse hit, she was swept up with everyone else and given a new name. A new past. What will happen when the curse breaks and a pirate gets her memories back?
1. The Things We Love Most

I let the radio play quietly as I gathered my things for school. My history book, math book, fantasy books, etc. I've never really paid attention to my teachers when I attend class. Who needs to know what they taught when you could look it up on your phone or a computer? Maybe basic math skills were actually helpful at the shop with dad's insistence on using an old register. Just because he owned a pawn shop doesn't mean he had to use the oldest machine he could find.

"Claire," I turned to see my dad standing in the doorway to my room. "Straight home after you're done watching Henry."

"Ok." I turned back to my things and zipped up my bag.

"And attend _all_ your classes today," he said.

"I will," I sighed. "Besides if I cut too many classes then Regina will fire me and my limited social life will just die." He chuckled at my joke and let me through the doorway.

"I'll be home late tonight so you'll have to cook as well," he told me. As I walked outside I heard a noise I'd never heard before. The chiming of the clock on top of the library. I pushed some of my curly brown hair behind my ear and looked in the direction of the large clock. Sure enough, it wasn't on the usual 8:15 time. I was actually moving.

* * *

I stood at Granny's waiting on Henry where he'd asked me to meet him before school. I'd been taking care of Henry for a couple years now at the request of both Regina and my dad. Why? No idea, but it was honestly the best idea those two had.

"Claire!" I looked up from my phone to see Henry running up to me and I smiled at him.

"Hey, Henry," I greeted. "Want some hot chocolate?"

"Sure." We went inside and I ordered us some drinks. Hot chocolate for the ten-year-old and coffee for me.

"So, what's your big plan now that you bio mom is here?" I asked him.

"How do you know she's here? Did you remember something from your past?" he asked me excitedly.

"No," I laughed at his eagerness. "But you were missing yesterday and the day before that. Your mom wigged out and had me waiting at your house until dad made me go home."

"So that's why you weren't there when I got home." I nodded.

"Yeah, you know dad. When he says jump 90% of this town asks how high," I smiled at Ruby as she delivered our drinks. She just smirked at me before going to flirt with some guy. Everyone knows Ruby doesn't really work, she just skirts on by and Granny wouldn't fire her only granddaughter.

"Even you?" Henry asked with a knowing smile.

"He's my dad, I have to ask how high," I said.

"But he's not your real dad, Claire. I haven't found him yet, but when I do I'll show you," he told me and I shook my head at him.

"You do that kiddo." I ruffled up his hair and laughed when he swatted me away and tried to fix it.

"Hey look!" I turned to see Emma sit at the bar and open the paper.

"Shall we let her know we're here?" I asked him smiling. He nodded happily and I went to the bar to order his request for Emma.

* * *

 **Enchanted Forest - Past**

I stood on my father's ship overlooking the ocean. This ocean was nothing compared to _there,_ but it was home.

"Catherine." I turned my head to see my father making his way to me. "You're distracted."

"Just a wondering mind, that's all." I looked back out into the ocean. He stood beside me and I could feel his stare on my back. "What is it?"

"You're thinking about him, aren't you?" he asked me I stayed silent. He sighed. I know he was probably disappointed in me, but I wasn't about to lie to the only parent I had left. I never knew my mother because of the Crocodile and I'd given my word to father to help skin him, and a Jones never breaks their word. "We left that place to find a way to get to the Crocodile to get revenge for your mother. Should I have left you behind?"

"No!" I turned quickly to glare at him. "Rumors from land say that the Evil Queen is casting a Dark Curse to trap everyone. Take all the happy endings from the heroes of the Enchanted Forest. If we don't do this now, the minute she casts the curse we lose any chance we getting at killing the Dark One. You swore we'd do this together."

"Aye, I did. But if your heart is elsewhere when the deed goes down, then getting our revenge means nothing," he told me.

"But we'd still have it. It doesn't matter where my heart is. We will have our revenge and it won't mean nothing," I corrected him. "I may be distracted now, but when the time comes I won't be."

"Good, now! With this curse coming we best move our plans up. We get to the girl and convince her to help us kill the Dark One." he smirked at his plan while I looked back out to the ocean. This plan had to work. It may be our last shot at getting the dagger.

* * *

I waited at the docks for father to return with the girl and/or the information on the dagger. The crew was in a tavern getting drunk on rum and women while I waited on the ship. I stayed behind because (A) I was too young to drink inside the tavern and (B) someone had to stay behind and watch the ship. I turned at the sound of heels against wood and saw a woman in an elaborate dress, her dark hair pulled up on her head and an evil smirk on her face. She was incredibly beautiful and I was surprised to see someone like her here. It helped, I suppose, that she had black knights following her scaring the weakhearted away from their group. The black knights were a dead give away to her identity.

"Your majesty," I bowed to her, giving her the appearance of someone who cared about her position. Everyone knew she stole hearts from those who disrespected her and I was not looking to be on that list. "To what do I owe this honor?"

"I have a job that needs to be handled quickly and quietly," she told me and I raised a brow at her words.

"My father is away from the ship at the moment, but he should return shortly. If you wish to discuss business with him it will have to be at another time," I told her.

"Oh, I've already made the necessary arrangments for the job to be done. But this person requested one thing that only you can provide me," she told me, her smirk turning into an evil grin as she moved closer.

"And what would that be?" I asked.

"You." She waved her hand and this purple smoke swirled around me moving me from the ship to the forest.

* * *

 **Storybrooke - Present**

"Ah, so you decided to stay," I heard Graham say in the booth next to ours as Emma approached him.

"Observant. Important for a cop," she said with her cocoa in hand.

"That's good news for our tourist business, bad for our local signage," he joked and she gave him a look. "It's-it's a joke... because you ran over our sign..."

"Look, the cocoa was a nice gesture, and I am impressed that you guessed that I like cinnamon in my chocolate, 'cause most people don't, but I am not here to flirt, so, thank you, but no thank you." She set the mug on the table and pushed it to him.

"I didn't send it," Graham told her.

"We did," Henry said revealing we were there. Emma looked up at us surprised. "I like cinnamon, too."

"Don't you two have school?" she asked us.

"Duh, I'm ten and she's seventeen. Walk me." I laughed lightly. Well, no one can say the kid doesn't know what he wants. The three of us left Granny's and walked to the bus stop just down the road.

"So, what's the deal with you and your mom?" Emma asked him.

"It's not about us, it's about her curse. We have to break it. Luckily, I have a plan. Step one: identification. I call it, "Operation Cobra"." Henry told us grinning.

"Cobra? That has nothing to do with fairytales," Emma pointed out.

"Unless we're talking about Aladdin being here too," I chimed in and Emma gave me a look.

"That's why it's perfect! We're talking about all the fairytales, it's a codename. It'll throw the Queen off the trail," Henry explained.

"So, everyone here is a fairytale character, they just don't know it," Emma said trying to make sense of the crazy. If you ask me we should just play along until he grows out of the fairytale phase.

"That's the curse. Time's been frozen.. Until you got here," Henry explained. Emma was about to take a bite of her apple when Henry spoke up. "Hey! Where'd you get that?"

"Your mom," she told him and he took it from her.

"Don't eat that!" he threw the apple over his shoulder and Emma and I both watched it roll away.

"That just makes me sad," I mumbled.

"Okay... Um, uh, alright. What about their pasts?" Emma asked him.

"They don't know. It's a haze to them. Ask anyone anything and you'll see," Henry told her. "Claire, how long have you had that ring?" I looked down at the necklace around my neck and the ring that was on the chain.

"Nice try kid, my dad gave this to me when I was younger. Not everyone has a perfect memory you know," I joked with him. The truth was I couldn't remember when I got it only that it was given to me by someone important. I'd taken it off once while I slept, but I couldn't sleep that night at all. The next morning, when I put my necklace back on, I felt calm. Needless to say, necklace stayed on from that point forward.

"See? She remembers that" Emma pointed out.

"She's lying and I can tell because I know her. Give it time, you'll see," Henry told her while giving me a look for lying. Damn, the kid knows me better than I thought.

"So... for decades, people have been walking around, in a haze, not aging, with screwed up memories, stuck in a cursed town that kept them oblivious," Emma summed up.

"I knew you'd get it! That's why we need you, you're the only one who can stop her Curse," Henry added.

"Because I'm the daughter of Snow White and Prince Charming?" She asked him.

"Yes! And right now, we have the advantage. My mom doesn't know that." Henry moved his backpack from his back to his front and unzipped it, reaching for whatever he was looking for. "I took out the end," he took out the pages from his book and handed them to Emma. "The part with you in it." Emma looked at the pages and I leaned over to see an illustration of a man placing a baby in a wardrobe, the name "Emma" clearly visible on the baby blanket. "See? Your mom is Snow White!"

"Kid," Emma sighed looking at the pages.

"I know the hero never believes at first, if they did, it wouldn't be a very good story. If you need proof, take them, read them. But whatever you do, don't let her see these pages. They're dangerous. If she finds out who you are... then it would be bad," Henry told her.

* * *

All too soon, we arrived at the school.

"I gotta go, but I'll find you later and we can get started. I knew you'd believe me!" Henry called to her as he walked backwards into the school.

"I never said I did!" Emma corrected him.

"Why else would you be here?" he asked before running off to the school.

"It's good to see his smile back," Mary Margaret, Henry's teacher, and his Snow White character, said smiling at Emma.

"I didn't do anything," Emma insisted and I rolled my eyes.

"You stayed," I reminded her. "My mom abandoned me and my dad when I was a baby. As angry as I am about her leaving us alone, if she showed up and wanted to be part of my life then I'd let her and I'd be happy she stuck around." She seemed to think about that for a moment.

"So.. does the Mayor know you're still here?" Mary Margaret asked her.

"Oh, she knows. What is her deal? She's not a great people person, how did she get elected?" Emma asked us and I shrugged my shoulders.

"She's been Mayor as long as I can remember. No one's ever been brave enough to run against her. She inspires quite a bit of.. well, fear. I'm afraid I only made that worse by giving Henry that book and now he thinks she's the Evil Queen," Mary Margaret said with a sad smile on his face.

"Who does he think you two are?" Emma asked and the brunette scoffed.

"It's silly."

"And his fantasy world. Not really worth mentioning," I said.

"I just got five minutes of silly," Emma laughed. "Lay it on me."

"Catherine Jones. No idea who that is," I told her.

"And I'm Snow White." Emma looked slightly stunned at the brunette as the school bell rang. "Who does he think you are?"

"I'm not in the book," Emma said breathlessly. I looked down to hide my smile. "Can I ask you a favor? Regina mentioned the kid's in therapy; do you know where I can find the doctor?"

"Archie's the only psych doc in town," I told her.

* * *

School is such a bore! Who decided it was against the law to not attend school? Or blow it up? Something so I wouldn't have to go anymore. I'm willing to accept Henry's fantasy world and go wherever it is I'm supposedly from because, hey, no school!

"Claire!" I turned my head and saw Henry and Mary Margaret walking to me. Well, this was odd.

"Hey, ready to go home?" I asked him.

"We have something we have to do first," he told me with a smile on his face.

"This have something to do with Operation Cobra?" I asked him.

"Sort of."

* * *

To say I was surprised to see us at the police station would have been a HUGE understatement. How did this have anything to do with him convincing Emma she was a fairytale character's kid?"

"Well, she's the Mayor. She has her hands in everything," I heard Graham say when as we rounded the corner.

"Including the police force?" I heard Emma ask and I shook my head. This didn't have anything to do with Operations Cobra, but everything to do with Henry wanting his bio mom around.

"HEY!" Henry shouted once he saw Emma.

"Henry! Henry, what are you doing here?" Graham asked him while giving me a look.

"Don't look at me. I didn't even know we were coming here," I told him raising my hands in surrender.

"His mother told him what happened," Mary Margaret told him.

"Of course she did!" Emma said before looking at Henry. "Henry, I don't know what she said-"

"You're a genius!" Henry interrupted her and she looked at him confused.

"What?"

"I know what you were up to." Emma still looked at him confused by his words. "You were gathering intel. For "Operation Cobra"," he nearly whispered the last part to her and I shrugged when she looked up at me.

"I'm sorry, I'm a bit lost," Graham told us.

"It's need to know, Sheriff, and all you need to know is that Miss Blanchard's gonna bail her out," Henry told him.

"You are? Why?" Emma asked her confused.

"I-uh—trust you.," Mary Margaret told her seeming confused by her words.

"Well. If you could uncuff me..." Emma said extending her cuffed wrists to Graham. "...I have something to do."

* * *

I sat at the dining room table at Henry's house working on my homework as he did the same next to me. Another reason to like Henry's theory about this all being a curse. Homework. Maybe I should make a list of the pros and cons if his fantasy world vs reality.

"What do you think Emma had to do?" Henry asked me, pulling me from my Science assignment.

"Well, she was in jail for a small part of the day. Shower maybe?" I offered and he just gave me a look. "Hey, that place does not look clean. It'd be the first thing I do.

"Do you think she'd go after my mom?" I looked into his innocent eyes and sighed.

"I think in order to protect you they'll both do things they might look back on and laugh in the years to come, but right now Emma's angry and your mom is scared she'll lose you. Especially with all this talk of a curse and her being the Evil Queen," I told him. "Besides you know what they say, revenge is a dish best served cold."

* * *

 **The Enchanted Forest - Past**

I wandered around the forest I was in for a couple hours before yelling and hitting a tree hard enough to hurt my hand. I held my hand close to my chest and groaned in pain and frustration before sitting on the ground.

"You can't just leave me here, you bitch!" I screamed into the air. "I'll find my way back to my father and when I do we'll be coming back for you!"

"Who are you yelling at?" I quickly stood and stared at the woman staring at me. Her outfit was simple: white blouse, red skirt, red gloves, black corset with gold and red flower designs on it, and a red cape with a hood.

"What's it to you?" I asked her.

"Well, seeing as how you're obviously lost, I could help you. If you answer my question,"

"The Evil Queen," I told her after a moment.

"You're enemies with the Queen?" she asked me.

"I wasn't before a few hours ago. Now? I want her head on a pike," I told her.

"My name's Red and I think I know someone who can help you get back to where you're from."

* * *

I stared up at the grand castle and scoffed.

"Yeah, me and royals don't get along very well, Red," I told her.

"Don't worry, Snow and Charming will be able to help you. No matter what your background is," Red assured me.

"Snow and Charming? Interesting names," I mumbled.

"You haven't heard about Snow White and her husband banishing the Evil Queen from our lands?" she asked me.

"Heard the tale. Didn't really care because it didn't have anything to do with me and mine," I told.

"I would think that the Evil Queen being banished was a good thing for everyone," she commented.

"She never bothered us before doing this to me. I don't even know why she did this," I said to no one in particular.

"She didn't say why she was doing this?" Red as confused.

"I'm part of a deal she made to ensure a job was done," I answered looking around the castle courtyard we'd just entered. This was the closest I'd been to actually being invited to these places before. Normally, if we came across a castle while on the ship, we'd sneak in and take what we wanted.

"Do you know with whom?" she asked me curiously.

"I can only think of one person who'd want to hurt me or my father, but according to the rumors I've heard you have the Dark One all locked away," I said. I wanted the answer to this rumor. If he was locked away then I knew who'd be getting a visit next.

"Rumplestiltskin? He's locked away in the dungeon below Snow and Charming's castle," she told me and I smirked. If it was going to be this easy to get answers from these people then I might have to stick around and just send letters to my father. "Why would he want to hurt you and your family?"

"It's just me and my father, and you know what they say. The best revenge is served cold," I told her. "This King and Queen..."

"Prince and Princess," she corrected me and I gave her a look.

"Seriously?" I asked her. "They rule a kingdom and they haven't been crowned King and Queen yet?"

"Well when they got married they were threatened by the Evil Queen," Red explained. "Things have taken a bit of a turn in what we all thought would happen once she was gone."

"Even my father and I heard about the curse," I said thoughtfully. "What is this curse supposed to do exactly?"

"According to Rumplestiltskin, it's going to trap us all and take away all the happy endings we've worked so hard to get."

"Not all of us have that happy ending," I corrected her.

"What would your happy ending be?" she asked me and I stopped walking as a brief memory flashed before my eyes. A boy laughing as his family danced around him.

"Going home." Red placed her hand on my arm gently.

"Don't worry. We'll help you get home," she told me offering me a smile before I followed her into the castle.

* * *

 **Storybrooke - Present**

"So... what do you want to do before your dinner with your mom?" I asked Henry. It was Thursday which meant I'd be dropping Henry off with his mom at 5 so they could go to dinner before he met with Archie.

"We could try and get you to remember your past in the Enchanted Forest," he told me grinning and I just gave him a look.

"As fun as that world sounds, from the looks of it I'm not even in the book," I said.

"I just have to find you, that's all," I sighed at his insistence.

"Or we can just say I'm not in the book, but I know you won't do that so..."

"You're right, I won't. But I've looked through this book so many times and I just can't find you. I've looked everywhere," he told me.

"Maybe my story isn't ready to be told yet," I said and he thought about it for a moment.

"Maybe... but then why are you here?" he asked me.

"Well in the book it said the Queen made one last deal before she enacted her curse. Maybe my character was part of that deal?" I suggested.

"Brilliant! In order to succeed with her curse, she'd have to make a deal with the person they call 'The Dark One' so she could find out how her curse had gone wrong," he explained the story to me and I nodded next to him.

"Do you know who this Dark One is supposed to be?" I asked him curiously before sitting at one of the dining room chairs out front at Granny's.

"Not yet, but I will," he told me confidently making me chuckle at him.

"You do that." I leaned back in my chair and stared at the table for a time.

"Claire? You okay?" he asked me and I smiled at him.

"Yeah, come on. Let's go find something to do for the next hour." We walked side by side down the road finding something to do as we waited for me to take Henry to Regina.

* * *

Henry and I were walking up the stairs to Regina's office when I heard voices talking from the cracked door. I put my finger to my mouth to silence Henry as we quietly moved closer to hear what was being said.

"You think he's troubled?" I heard Regina ask.

"Well, he's in therapy, and I only got through a couple pages of his shrink's notes before you had me arrested," I heard Emma remind her. "But putting all that aside—he thinks everyone in this town is a fairytale character."

"And you don't?" Regina asked her. I narrowed my eyes in suspicion. Regina knew we were coming here and was being careful with her words giving Emma just enough rope to hang herself with.

"How can I? The poor kid can't even tell the difference between fantasy and reality and it's only getting worse. It's crazy," Emma said and I sighed while shaking my head at her words.

"You think I'm crazy?" Henry asked from the doorway. Emma quickly turned to look at the two of us in the doorway.

"Henry..." he quickly ran out of the office from all of us.

"Good going you two," I said harshly before rushing out to find him. "Henry!" I ran after him to his castle and sighed when I saw him staring into the dirt. I moved to him and sat down. "You should try out for track in high school, you've got quite the run," I tried joking with him, but he wouldn't say anything to me. "Henry, you don't know if what Emma said was true."

"She thinks I'm crazy," he whispered.

"Maybe she was just telling your mom what she wanted to hear," I offered. When he didn't say anything I ran my hands through my long hair. "Come on, let's go get something to eat then I'll take you to Archie." I jumped off the small ledge and helped him down before we walked to Granny's.

* * *

 **Enchanted Forest - Past**

I stood in front of the Prince and his, very pregnant, Princess as Red told them what little she knew about me.

"The Evil Queen took her from her family as a price for some deal made with the Dark One. I thought we could help her back home."

"If the Queen went to Rumplestiltskin and made a deal it can only mean one thing," The Prince said looking at his wife.

"Her curse is coming," the Princess placed a protective hand on her extended abdomen.

"We've prepared for this for a year," Red reminded the couple. "We're ready."

"No one's really ready for a curse," I said offhandedly drawing their eyes to me. "No one's ready to be ripped away from their families. The home's they've broken their backs to build and defend. You went to war with King George and the Evil Queen to reclaim your homes and you think your people are prepared to lose theirs? Are you fools?"

"Catherine!" Red warned with her look and voice, but my eyes were only for the Prince and Princess.

"It's fine, Red," the Princess told her. "She's right. No one's ready to lose what they have."

"But Emma will be able to break the curse. We have to have faith in her," the Prince reminded her taking her hands in his.

"Who's Emma?" I asked curiously. The couple shared another look and I looked at the Princess' womb. "I see. And how will a babe defend us from a curse?"

"Why is it you want to know?" the Prince asked.

"If I'm to be sucked up in this curse then I should know how I'm going to be saved," I told him. "This curse is being put on us all because of the Queen need for revenge on you, not us. You're not the only ones with love being ripped away from them."

"Your father."

"Among others."

"The Dark One gave us a prediction that our child will be the one to break the curse. Before it happens Snow and our daughter will be going through a wardrobe to safety."

"So while your wife sits in safety the rest of us will suffer. How wonderful," I said with a sarcastic smile.

"I will send Emma to save everyone when the time is right," Snow told me. "When she is ready, we will wake everyone."

* * *

 **Storybrooke - Present**

I sat at my desk staring outside with my homework open in front of me. Henry was at his appointment with Archie and would be picked up by Regina. I heard a knocking on my door and stood up to answer it. When I opened it I saw my dad on the other side.

"Hey, dad," I greeted going back to my homework.

"How was your day?" he asked me sitting on my bed.

"It was okay," I shrugged my shoulders.

"Everything alright, dear?"

"Henry walked in on Regina and Emma talking about him. Regina chose her words carefully and made sure Henry heard her say he thought he was crazy for believing everyone in town was a fairytale character," I explained.

"Everyone?" he asked.

"Yea," I laughed. "You, me, his mom, everyone."

"Does he know who we all are?" he asked me and I shook my head.

"He's still working that out, but he's an imaginative kid so he'll link us all to a fairytale character from his book eventually. Well, everyone except Emma."

"You truly love the boy, don't you?"

"Of course I do. How can I not?" I asked him. He just watched me for a moment before standing up and moving to me. He placed his hand on my cheek and kissed the top of my head.

"Get your homework done, dear. I'll be home later." He walked out of my room and left me alone in my room and my thoughts.

* * *

 **The Enchanted Forest - Past**

I watched the purple smoke come closer to the castle and took a deep breath. I pulled out my sword when I saw the men coming with the Queen's carriage behind them and went to join the others in protecting the unborn princess.

"You sure you're ready for this?" I asked Red when I found her.

"You were right, I'm not ready to lose everything to her," Red told me.

"At least you have your family with you. I lost my father and now I'm losing all of my memories of the only two people I've ever loved," I sighed as the Queen's men appeared.

"We can at least take out as many of these creeps as possible before the curse hits us," she told me and I grinned.

"From the mouths of babes." I attacked with her at my side killing as many as we could before we were swept up in the curse.

* * *

 **Neverland - Past**

I stood on the beach looking out into the ocean and my father's ship. I sensed a presence behind me before arms wrapped around my waist. I smiled and ran my hands down his arms while leaning back into his chest."What are you doing here?" I asked him.

"It's my island, shouldn't I be asking you that?" he asked me with a smirk on his face.

"My father said we're leaving at sunrise to go back to the Enchanted Forest. Get our revenge on the crocodile," I told him before turning to him and looking into his green eyes.

"Don't leave, stay here with me."

"The Dark One killed my mother and trapped you here. He has to pay," I told him.

"And he will, I swear. Stay with me. Don't leave me alone here," he begged and I smiled at him.

"But you're not alone," I reminded him. "You have the Lost Boys."

"They aren't you." I smiled at him before kissing him gently.

"I have to do this," I said again. "I have to kill the Dark One for my parents. For you."

"No one can kill the Dark One, Catherine!" he shouted, his anger getting the best of him.

"Peter..."

"He will kill you just for trying to go after him. I lost my parents to that monster. Don't make me lose you too," he wrapped his hands around my upper arms, trying to make me see his point.

"I'll be okay," I told him smiling. "I promise."

"You can't guarantee that with him," he told me. "Look at what he did to your mother just for choosing your father over him."

"I'll come back once this is all over, you'll see." I kissed him and he pulled me closer to him.

"You'll always be welcome in Neverland," he kissed me again and I smiled up at him when we parted.

"I'll see you once this is done." I went back to the rowboat and took myself back to the Jolly Rodger.


	2. The Deal that Started it All

Neverland - Past

We'd been in and out of Neverland for years now. Dad always said it was so I could grow up, but so we would also live until we got revenge

"Catherine." I moved from my place on the deck to my father's side.

"What is it?" I asked him.

"We need to go ashore," he told me.

"So?" We'd gone ashore in Neverland before, what was so different now?

"So, I need you to come with us, but this time we're going after the Dreamshade." I took a deep breath.

"Dreamshade?" I asked him with wide eyes. "How are we to get it without getting cut then being stuck here forever?"

"I know of a way, but we'll have to be careful when grabbing it," he said.

"Because it's a giant bush full of toxic thorns, I know," I told him rolling my eyes. "Just tell me when to be ready," I said before going to another part of the ship. My dad hated going ashore in Neverland. It was because of the Demon, as he called the ruler of this land. I'd never met him thanks to Dad and his keeping me away from him and the Lost Boys. I felt something behind me and turned to see the Shadow staring at me. I just stared at it slightly in fear and doing my best not to show it.

"What do you want?" I asked it. It just stared at me before grabbing my arm and pulling me up and towards the island.

* * *

Storybrooke - Present

I was at the hospital with Mary Margaret's class while they hung up decorations wishing the patients well. Someone patted my shoulder, and I turned to see Henry in the ICU next to an unconscious man.

"Who's that?" I asked motioning to the man with my head.

"John Doe," Mary Margaret told me before I followed her into John Doe's room.

"Henry," Henry turned to look at us. "We could really use your help with the decorations."

"Is Mr. Doe going to be okay, Miss Blanchard?" Henry asked looking at the sleeping man.

"His name's not John Doe, honey. That's just what they call people when they don't know who they are," Mary Margaret explained him.

"Do you know who he is?" Henry asked her.

"Nope. I just bring him flowers on my rounds," Mary Margaret explained.

"What's wrong with him?" Henry asked.

"I don't know. He's been like this as long as I've been volunteering," Mary Margaret told him.

"Does he have any family or friends?" Henry asked.

"Since we don't know his name, no," I told him. "At least not right now. When he wakes up, I'm sure he'll tell us what his name is."

"So, he's all alone."

"For now," I corrected. "But if there's one thing we can learn from your fairy tales, their's always hope."

"You sure you don't know him?" Henry asked us. I just looked at her and shrugged my shoulders.

"Course I'm sure. Come on. You shouldn't be in here," Mary Margaret told him. We all walked out of the room and continued decorating the hospital.

* * *

"I found my grandpa!" Henry ran into the room with a broad grin on his face.

"I thought Emma didn't know her parents?" I asked him looking up from my homework. Regina was working late again, so I was home with Henry.

"She will, one day. I know it," he told me, and I shook my head.

"So you mean you found Snow White's husband?" I asked him for clarification.

"Prince Charming," he said opening his book to the page with Snow White and Prince Charming. "And I found your dad." He flipped through his book, and I looked down at the man in the photo. He had a smirk on his face and was holding onto a rope.

"Who is he?" I asked him.

"Captain Hook," Henry told me smiling. I shook my head and rolled my eyes at him.

"So my dad was a villain?"

"Yeah, but don't worry," Henry said. "I'm sure he has his reasons."

"Don't they all?" I asked him, and he just shrugged his shoulders. "Have you seen him around Storybrooke?" I got a good look at the man in the picture.

"Sorry kiddo," I said. "I've never seen him in my life.

* * *

Neverland - Past

After the shadow dropped me in the forest, I immediately tried running back to the ocean so I could try and signal my father. I grabbed some small rocks as I ran and pocketed them to use as weapons. I still had my sword and a couple of daggers in my boots, but projectiles aimed the right way could be just as lethal as any blade. Of course, I'd never used rocks as a weapon before, just throwing knives, but it should be about the same. I heard laughing surrounding me, one voice echoing through the forest, and I tried to look around for the person.

"You really think you can outrun me?" a boy shouted. I turned to where I thought the voice was coming from.

"If I knew how to play your little game, then I wouldn't be at such a disadvantage," I called out to him.

"Who said there are any rules?" he laughed.

"There are always rules on this island," I said glaring into the woods.

"Only if I make them," I froze at those words. Only one boy could control the island I was standing on.

"What do you want with me?" I asked him, keeping the fear from my voice the best I could.

"Shall we play a game?" he asked. His voice was coming from behind me now, and I took a deep breath before turning.

"I don't play games," I said.

"If you and your father continue wanting to be allowed to come and go from this place, then you will play my game."

"And to think I thought blackmail was beneath Peter Pan," I said sarcastically.

"I'm not blackmailing you," he laughed, and I felt his breath on the back of my neck. "We're making a deal."

"What kind of deal?" I asked him, still not daring to turn around.

"You play my game, and I'll allow you and your father unlimited passage to my island." I thought about it for a moment.

"What's the game?" I asked him. He finally walked in front of me, and my eyes widened. The boy in front of me didn't look any older than I was, yet he controlled the entire island? He looked less like a demon and more like an angel to me.

"The game is simple," he told me with his smirk on his face. "You make it to the shore without me catching you, and I'll never bother you again."

"And the rules?" I asked.

"No rules." I just stared in his blue eyes and thought it over. It was a simple game; he didn't lie, the only problem I was seeing was that he could fly and knew the island like the back of this hand. I'd only come to the island a handful of times and had to follow my father every time. What little I'd seen of the island was what little I'd viewed from the ship and those few times.

"That still leaves me at a disadvantage," I reminded him. "I've barely been on this island while you control it. How fair of a game do you think this will be?" He just smirked at me.

"Who said anything about the game being fair?" he asked me, and I sighed. He was right, of course. With no rules, he could use all the magic he wanted to catch me while I had to run and exhaust my energy on the ground.

"Then I get a head start," I told him.

"Do you now?" he asked as he started to circle me.

"You can fly and control this island. I have to run on the ground and try to find my way to shore when I've never been on this part of the island," I reminded him. "I should get a headstart to even the odds."

"You mean put the odds in your favor," he said, and I remained silent. Even if he agreed to my terms, the chances of me winning this game were slim to none. He moved back in front of me, his smirk still in place, before holding out his hand. "Deal?"

"What do you get if you win?" I asked him, suddenly curious.

"Isn't it obvious?" he asked me. "I want you. You will remain on this island while your ship is in the ocean. You will be returned when your father decides to leave on one of his revenge quests."

"And if I win?"

"You never have to see me again." His hand was back out between the two of us, and I just stared at it. As I said, my chances of winning were nearly 0, but playing this game allowed my father and I to come and go as we pleased from Neverland.

"Deal."

* * *

Storybrooke - Present

Henry and I were sitting in a booth at the diner when Emma joined us from the bathroom and a very nice black shirt.

"Thanks for the shirt. Hey, is this your mother's?" Emma asked her son.

"She'll never notice," he told her proudly.

"She might," I said holding my fingers away from each other just a bit.

"Where does she think you are, anyway?" Emma asked the two of us.

"Playing Whac-A-Mole," Henry told her.

"And she bought that?" Emma asked with her eyebrow raised.

"She wants to believe it, so she does," he said, and I held back my smile as I shook my head.

"Oh, imagine that."

"She's here," Henry said excitedly, and I turned to see Mary Margaret make her way to us. I scooted over in my seat so she could sit down.

"Hey, don't get your hopes up. We're just getting started, okay?" Emma asked him, and he quickly nodded before she sat down.

"He woke up," Mary Margaret told us and I shared a shocked look with Emma.

"What?" Emma asked her confused.

"I knew it."

"I mean, he didn't "wake up" wake up, but he grabbed my hand," Mary Margaret elaborated.

"He's remembering!" Henry said with a broad grin growing on his face.

"What did the doctor say?" Emma asked her.

"That I imagined it, but I'm not crazy," Mary Margaret told the blonde. "I know it happened."

"We have to go back. You have to read to him again," Henry said jumping up and down in his seat.

"Let's go," Mary Margaret agreed standing up again. Emma quickly jumped up and grabbed the woman's arm to stop her from going anywhere while Henry pulled my me through the diner and out the door.

* * *

Once we got to the hospital, we saw the doctor, Graham, and nurses in John Doe's room, but we couldn't see the bed.

"You're right—he's waking up," Henry said excitedly. Sheriff Graham noticed us and left the room to stop us from going further.

"Henry, you should stay back," Graham said.

"What's going on? Is it John Doe? Is he okay?" Mary Margaret asked him.

"He's missing," Graham told us, and I looked back in the room to see Regina in John Doe's room as well. Regina looked out the windows and saw us and immediately approached us.

"What the hell are you doing here?" She asked looking at Emma before turning to her son. "And you – I thought you were at the arcade. Now you're lying to me?"

"What happened to John Doe? Did someone take him?" Mary Margaret asked, ignoring the mayor.

"We don't know yet. His IVs were ripped out, but there's no sign for sure there's a struggle," Graham told her.

"What did you do?" Henry asked glaring up at his mother.

"You think I had something to do with this?" Regina asked him.

"It is curious that the mayor is here," Emma added.

"I'm here because I'm his emergency contact," Regina told us.

"You know him?" Mary Margaret asked her.

"I found him," Regina corrected. "On the side of the road years ago with no ID. I brought him here."

"Mayor Mills saved his life," Dr. Whale told us.

"Will he be okay?" Mary Margaret asked him.

"Okay? The man's been on feeding tubes for years on constant supervision. He needs to get back here right away or, quite honestly, "okay" might be a pipe dream," Dr. Whale told us.

"Well then, let's quit yapping and start looking," Emma said.

"That's what we're doing? Just stay out of this, dear. And since I clearly can't keep you away from my son, I guess I'm just going to have to keep my son away from you. Enjoy my shirt, because that's all you're getting," Regina said grabbing Henry's shoulder. "Sheriff, find John Doe. You heard Dr. Whale. Time is precious." Regina left with Henry at her side.

"Doctor, how long between your rounds since you last saw him?" Graham asked Dr. Whale.

"Twelve hours or so."

"Then that's what we need to account for."

* * *

Mary Margaret and I followed him to the security room where Walter and Leroy were.

"You two were the only employees on the floor last night. And you saw nothing," Graham stated.

"Not a thing," Walter told him.

"Did anyone walk by?" Emma asked.

"I didn't see nothin'," Leroy told her.

"Miss Blanchard, Miss Gold, was there anything unusual you saw during your trip with your class?" Graham asked us.

"I don't think so."

"It was just us, the staff, patients, and the kids," I told him.

"We're looking at the wrong tape," Emma suddenly said and I looked at the tape. "This is the ward where Henry's class put up decorations. If this was really the tape from last night, we'd see the banners the kids hung."

"Tch, you fell asleep again," Leroy said to Walter.

"You selling me out?" Walter asked him.

"I ain't getting fired for this."

"At least I don't drink on the job."

"Gentlemen, enough. Where's the real tape?" Graham asked. Walter switched the tapes, and we watched as John Doe got up and walked out the door. Alone.

"He walked out alone. He's okay," Mary Margaret sighed in relief.

"Four hours ago," Emma said pointing to the timestamp on the video before turning to the men behind her. "Where does this door lead?"

"The woods."

* * *

I followed Emma, Mary Margaret, and Graham through the woods looking for our missing John Doe. The sun had set what felt like hours ago when Graham suddenly stopped and looked around.

"What is it?" Emma asked him.

"The trail runs out here," Graham told us.

"You sure? Because I thought tracking was one of your skills," she said sarcastically.

"Just give me a second. This is my world. I got it," Graham told her.

"Right. Sorry." Graham moved away from us and started looking through the woods for the missing patient.

"What does he mean, 'His world'?" Mary Margaret asked Emma. "Isn't finding people your thing, too?"

"Sure. Just, the people I find usually run places like Vegas. Not a lot hit the woods," Emma told us.

"Sounds like they should more often," I told her with a smile. "The woods aren't so scary; I practically grew up out here when I was a kid."

"What do you mean?" Emma asked me.

"When I was a kid I lived out here for such a long time. Dad could never find me, but I always went home at night. This place was like my refuge."

"Why don't you come out here more often?" Emma asked me and I had to really think about it for a second.

"I don't know," I admitted. "Coming back didn't feel right anymore."

"You sound like you have an interesting job – finding people. How'd you fall into it?" Mary Margaret asked Emma when the atmosphere got tense after my little confession.

"Looking for people is just what I've done. As long as I can remember," Emma told us.

"What made you start? Your parents? Henry told me that your…" Mary Margaret paused in her thoughts before continuing. "Th-that you were from a similar situation to his own. Did you ever find them?"

"Depends who you ask." We heard a crack behind us and turned to see Henry as he ran down the hill towards us.

"Henry!" Mary Margaret called out in shock.

"Are you really that surprised?" I asked with a small smirk on my face.

"Did you find him yet?" Henry asked us.

"No, not yet. You shouldn't be here," Emma told him.

"I can help. I know where he's going," Henry told us.

"And where's that?" Mary Margaret asked him.

"He's looking for you," he told the school teacher before rushing off after Graham.

* * *

Neverland - Past

I ran through the woods not bothering to try and see if Pan was behind me. He was one of the only ones with magic on the island so that meant he could have been anywhere. I was suddenly grabbed and slammed into a tree, but the one who had me wasn't the blonde demon who was chasing me.

"Found you," the lost boy smirked at me, and I growled at him as I tried to get him to release me. "Pan's going to have fun with you."

"Over my dead body." I kneed the boy in the groin before going to run again when a spear dipped in Dreamshade.

"That could be arranged," the small boy smirked up at me. He jabbed his spear at me, and I managed to dodge it before grabbing the wooden part of the spear that was clean of the Dreamshade and hit him with the other end of it. I continued running through the woods away from the Lost Boys and Pan. I hid behind one of the trees when I heard more Lost Boys coming. I knelt slowly and controlled my breathing.

"You were to leave her be." I froze when I heard Pan talking to the Lost Boys.

"She was running through the woods," one of the boys defended. "She's one of the pirates." I heard someone grunting and peaked past the trees to see Pan holding the Lost Boy who'd threatened me with the spear against a tree by his throat.

I gave the order she was to be left alone," He growled lowly.

"I'm sorry," the boy grunted out. I watched Pan squeeze his throat before releasing him.

"Make sure everyone knows," he ordered. "No one is to touch the pirate while she is on this island." I moved back and leaned against the tree. Why was it so important that none of the Lost Boys messed with me? Was it just during this game? Or was there something more going on that I didn't know?

* * *

Storybrooke - Present

"You're the one who woke him up. You're the last one he saw. He wants to find you!" Henry told Mary Margaret as we continued to search the woods.

"Henry, it's not about me," Mary Margaret told him. "I just… I think he's lost and confused. He's been in a coma a long time."

"But he loves you!" Henry told her. "You need to stop chasing him and let him find you."

"Kid," Emma sighed. "You need to go home. Where's your mom? She's going to kill me and then you…and then me again."

"Then she'll top off her murder spree with me for not taking you home immediately," I added.

"She dropped me at the house. Then, went right out," Henry told us.

"Well, we need to get you back immediately."

"No!" Henry denied.

"Guys!" We rushed to Graham's side, and he showed us John Doe's hospital bracelet with...

"Is that…"

"Blood."

* * *

Neverland - Past

I could smell the salt water and smiled. I was almost home. I screamed as I was suddenly lifted into the air with arms around my waist. I'd been right, I noted from the air looking down at the island. I'd been so close to being free from this maniac!

"You had quite the run," Pan said from behind me.

"What the hell are you doing?!" I shouted at him.

"I win our little game," he whispered in my ear. I watched the island as he moved us towards a cliff. "This is where your father's life changed."

"What are you talking about?" I asked as we landed on the cliff. I pushed him away from me while avoiding the Dreamshade bush that was close by.

"He didn't tell you?" he asked me moving around me. "He was here when he was working for a king in your world."

"My father's a pirate," I said not believing him. "He'd never work for a king."

"You ever ask him about his past before he met your mother?" he asked me. I said nothing. "I thought not."

"Why does it matter?" I asked him. "He's a pirate now and that's all that matters."

"He lied to you," Pan said and I laughed.

"I never asked!" I corrected. "I don't care about his past. He's my dad and he's everything to me."

"My father doesn't give a damn about me," Pan said and I rolled my eyes. "Placed me on this island so I wouldn't get in his way."

"Boohoo. Go cry to a mermaid."

"You don't believe me," he stated.

"Does it matter?" I asked him.

"Says the woman who's joined her father in getting revenge for a woman she's never met," he pointed out.

"The Dark One killed my mother!" I shouted at him. "What your dad did was nothing compared to that!" Pan moved closer to me until he was in my face. He stared down at me angrily.

"You know nothing about me or my family," he angrily told me and I froze on the spot.

* * *

Storybrooke - Present

We came to a stop at the Toll Bridge at the water's edge.

"Where is he? Can you see him?" Mary Margaret asked.

"The trail dies at the water line," Graham told us.

"Oh my god! Oh my god! Oh my god!" We followed Mary Margaret to John Doe and Graham called someone.

"I need an ambulance! At the old Toll Bridge, as soon as possible." The four of us dragged John Doe to the shore as Henry watched us.

"No, no, no, no, no! No, no, no! I found you!"

"It's going to be okay," Emma tried reassuring her.

"Help's coming," Graham's told us.

"Is he okay?" Henry asked.

"Henry…" Emma moved to his side and pulled him into her.

"Is he going to be okay?"

"Henry, don't look. Okay? Don't look."

"Come back to us. Come back to me," Mary Margaret begged as she started CPR. When she put her mouth his, he started breathing again and coughing up water.

"You saved me," he said staring up at her.

"She did it. She did it! She woke him up," Henry happily said.

"Yeah, kid. She did."

"Thank you."

"Who are you?" Mary Margaret asked him.

"I don't know," he told her confused.

"It's okay. You're going to be okay."

* * *

After getting him back to the hospital, John Doe was rushed back to his room.

"Watch your back. Coming through!" A nurse called out.

"We got it from here," Dr. Whale told us and the five of us watched through the outside glass door as he was being treated by doctors. A woman burst into the room where he was being treated and rushed to his side.

"David! David, is that you?" she asked.

"Who the hell is that?" I whispered to the women next to me.

"Excuse me, ma'am?"

"Oh my god…" The woman was in tears as she watched them work on John Doe.

"Ma'am, you can't be in here. Please, you can't be here right now," Dr. Whale told her.

"David…"

"You can't be here, ma'am. Can you wait over here for a second, okay?"

"Who is that?" Mary Margaret asked loudly.

"His wife." We turned to see Regina watching them with a smile on her face.

* * *

Neverland - Past

I followed Pan through the forest to his camp, but I was surprised to see the beach.

"What is this?" I asked him confused.

"The ocean." He turned to me with a smirk on his face.

"But I thought..."

"We still have a deal," he told me. "You'll still have to come back to my camp when you return from your little revenge quest, but I won't separate you from your only family." I just stared at him, confused.

"You're going to force me to stay with you, which keeps me away from my father, but you're telling me you won't keep me from my father?"

"You'll understand one day," he said before flying off. I just watched him go before looking back out into the ocean. I could see my father's ship in the distance and a boat coming to shore. One thing was for sure, nothing would ever be the same in my life again.

* * *

Storybrooke - Present

We watched the woman and John Doe, David, in the room together talking.

"His name is David Nolan. And that's his wife, Kathryn," Regina told her. "And the joy on her face, well, it's put me in quite the forgiving mood." She turned to Henry. "We'll talk about your insubordination later. Do you know what insubordination means?" He shook his head. It means you're grounded." I turned back to see Kathryn leave the room and walk to us.

"Thank you. Thank you for finding my David," she said with tears in her eyes.

"Um, I-I don't understand. You didn't…you didn't know that he was here in a coma?" Mary Margaret asked her, confusion filling her voice.

"A few years ago, David and I were not getting along. It was my fault, I know that now. I was difficult and unsupportive. I told him if he didn't like things, he could leave. And he did. And I didn't stop him. It was the worst mistake I ever made," Kathryn explained.

"You didn't go look for him?" Emma asked her.

"I assumed he'd left town all this time. And now I know why I never heard from him. Now I get to do what I've wanted to do forever – say I'm sorry. Now we get a second chance," she told us happily.

"That's wonderful," Mary Margaret said as Dr. Whale walked to us.

"Well, it's something of a miracle," he told everyone.

"He's okay?" Kathryn asked him.

"Ah, physically, he's on the mend, um, his memory is another issue. It may take time, if at all," he told her.

"What brought him back?" Mary Margaret asked him curiously.

"That's the thing. There's no explanation," Dr. Whale told us. "Something just clicked in him."

"He just got up and decided to go for a stroll?" Emma asked him confused.

"He woke up and he was delirious and his first instinct was to go find something, I guess."

"Someone," Henry corrected and I bumped him with my hip and gave him a look.

"Can I see him?" Kathryn asked him.

"Yeah, of course." Kathryn and Dr. Whale went back into David's room.

"Henry, let's go," Regina ordered.

"Wait, my backpack." Henry went to grab his backpack and whispered to Mary Margaret. "Don't believe them. You're the one he was looking for."

"Henry…" Mary Margaret sighed.

"He was going to the Troll Bridge. It's like the end of the story," Henry told her.

"Henry, he was going there because it's the last thing I read to him," Mary Margaret corrected him.

"No, it's because you belong together," Henry told her.

"Henry," Regina called him and he ran to her and they left. I looked at Mary Margaret as she watched Kathryn and David. I moved to her side and held her hand.


	3. Growing Pains

Neverland - Past

I was sitting on a log, laughing at the boys as they played their games. The games themselves were harmless but it did let them practice in case this place was under attack or Pan ordered them to attack.

"I see you're beginning to enjoy yourself." I glanced behind me to see Pan smirking down at me and I quickly lost my smile and turned back to the boys.

"Consider the enjoyment gone," I told him. He sat next to me and I felt him peering into me. "Did you forget your manners while I was away?" My father and I had just returned to Neverland a day ago and Shadow was waiting for me as we did so.

"Am I not allowed to stare at the girl I haven't seen in weeks?" he asked me and I could hear the playful lift in his voice. "I almost thought you wouldn't return this time."

"I keep my deals, Pan," I reminded him. "I'm not going to just leave and not return here. Neverland is my home."

"I'm happy to hear you say that." I glanced at him from the corner of my eye. That normal dark, sarcastic tones were gone from his voice and his smirk had faded. He almost looked... relieved?

"And why is that?" I asked him quietly.

"I want you to be as comfortable here as me and the Lost Boys. I don't want you to leave again." I couldn't tell if he was playing me or not. This seemed to be a different side of him than I'd normally seen. Like when he'd returned me to my father's ship after we'd made our deal.

"Father and I still haven't gotten our revenge on the crocodile," I reminded him. "I won't let anything stop me from doing that. Not even feelings of home."

"I know," he sighed. "But at least I know you'll come back here. Even if it's just for a sense of home."

"You know that's probably not going to be what happens," I nearly whispered. I'd grown attached to some of the younger boys and didn't want them to hear was I was going to be saying. "Once my father and I get our revenge, we might not come back."

"You just said this was your home." He was getting a touch angry from my words. I may have gotten to know Pan since we struck our deal, but he still frightened me.

"And it is, but it's not my father's home. He will want to return to the Enchanted Forest and be himself. A pirate."

"Then you stay here." I sighed and shook my head at his words. "This is your home. The only true home you know. You've said it yourself."

"And I didn't lie. Pan-"

"Peter."

"What?" I was confused. Why did he stop my sentence just to say his name?

"I want you to call me by my name. My true name. Peter." I'd been in his camp on and off for nearly a year now. He never insisted I call him by his name, until now.

"Ok? Peter, I want to be able to come back hereafter, but I won't leave the only family I have left."

"We can be your family." He motioned to the Lost Boys still dancing and playing. Who knows when everyone would be going to bed, but when they did is when I felt the most alone.

"And my father?" I asked him. Peter was about to say something when he stood up quickly. I looked up with everyone else to see Shadow staring down at us. Peter flew up to speak with it privately. I watched his face grow colder and angrier, into the Demon my father feared. He flew back down and stood next to me.

"Shadow brought someone onto the island, but he lost him in the sea. Find him. Go to Hook's ship and ask him for his help." Peter's version of asking wasn't truly asking. It was a demand. And he had the perfect hostage to use against him. Was that why I was truly here, in this camp? To be a hostage for when he needed something of my father? The boys scattered and left in different directions to find the newest member of the Lost Boys.

"You never ask," I stated, staring into the fire.

"I never have to."

"When the Demon is gone, and Peter returns, let me know." I left my place by the empty fire and went to a treehouse he'd ordered built for me when I was in the camp.

"They are the same." I didn't pause my steps and kept my back straight as I walked. I didn't believe that. The Demon was his darker half while Peter seemed to still be the teenage boy he'd been when he was either brought or trapt here. But what did it truly matter? I wasn't supposed to get too attached to him or the Boys while I was here. And I wasn't getting attacked to the Demon, was I?

* * *

Storybrooke - Present day

I was sitting in my seat on the bus with my journal open. I was writing something, but I wouldn't really see the full picture until I was done. It was weird, but as I wrote a story would come alive on the page and I'd only know everything when it was done.

"Hey, Claire!" I looked up and smiled at Henry as he walked down the aisle to me. I closed my journal and put it away as he sat down.

"Hey, Henry. You seem awfully happy today."

"I am. My mom walked me to the bus today and we got talking about code names for us."

"Code names?" I asked curiously.

"We're calling the mission Operation Cobra. We need names for us. You, me, and her. She told me to call her Emma for now," he explained.

"Why do we need code names?" I asked him.

"So my mom doesn't know who's in Operation Cobra."

"That makes sense," I said nodding my head. "So, what's mine?"

"I'll think about it at school," he told me and I nodded my head. "Have you seen your dad yet?"

"The guy from your book?" I asked him and he nodded excitedly. "Nope."

"I wonder who he is," Henry said pulling out his book again.

"Keep reading that book and you're bound to find out," I said wrapping my arm around his shoulders and reading over his shoulder.

"Don't worry, Claire. We'll find your dad one day." I just smiled at him and continued to read the story he was looking at. It seemed to be the story of Cinderella, but an alternate one. It was pretty good.

"I know we will buddy."

* * *

The next day was Saturday and a city council meeting. I was watching Henry while his mom was gone and she had very strict rules

"I know you think otherwise, but I don't enjoy these Saturday city council meetings. Sometimes they're just unavoidable," Regina told Henry while she did her makeup and we did our homework at the table. "Now, you know the rules?"

"Yes on homework, no on TV, and stay inside," Henry recited.

"Good boy. Under no circumstance do you leave this house," she ordered both of us.

"You mean don't see my mom." I rolled my eyes slightly. This had been an ongoing argument since Emma had brought Henry home.

"She's not your mother. She's just a woman passing through. Now do as I say or there will be consequences. I'll be back at 5:00 sharp."

"See you then, Miss Mills," I waved her off as she exits the house and drives away.

"Let's go," Henry told me collecting his backpack.

"Where do you think you're going?" I asked him and he just gave me a look. I sighed. "We better be back by 5:00 or your mom will kill me."

* * *

Henry and I made our way to Mary Margret's loft and Henry just opened the door to see Emma talking to my dad.

"Hey Emma, I was thinking we..." Henry dropped his sentence the moment he saw my dad.

"Hey, Dad," I greeted him.

"Hey Henry, Caire. How are you?" he asked smiling down at Henry.

"Okay."

"Good. Give my regards to your mother, and um... good luck Ms. Swan. I'll see you for supper Claire." I nodded as my dad left the loft.

"Do you know who that is?" Henry asked Emma.

"Yeah, of course, I do," Emma told him.

"Who? Cause I'm still trying to figure it out." I wanted to laugh at his words. Only in the mind of a child

"Oh, I meant in reality," she corrected and I shrugged when she gave me a curious look. When I'd started watching Henry he was lonely and a bit depressed but when Mary Margaret gave him that book his imagination exploded and covered the whole town.

"Is that all you brought?" Henry asked looking down at the floor. I followed his gaze to see a few boxes filled with things. It must be easy being able to move so simply.

"Henry, what are you doing here?" Emma sighed.

"My mom's gone till 5:00 I thought we could hang out," he told her happily.

"Aw, kid I wish I could, but there's something I gotta do." Well, that opened a whole new can of worms.

* * *

The three of us were walking down the street with Henry still begging Emma to let us join in her search for Ashley. Ashley was a pregnant girl who'd signed a contract with my dad for something and was getting paid for it. I might have eavesdropped a touch when Dad made some of his deals.

"Please let me help," Henry begged.

"No, no it could be dangerous," Emma told him.

"The pregnant maid is dangerous?" Henry asked astonished.

"She assaulted Mr. Gold."

"Cool."

"More like jail time," I corrected him.

"This isn't a game. She's desperate," Emma told us.

"How do you know?" Henry asked curiously.

"Because I know."

"Well, then let's find her."

"Oh no, no, no, no there is no "let's". You cannot come with me," Emma told him.

"Then we'll look for her ourselves. Come on, Claire," he said and I shrugged at Henry. I was getting paid to watch the kid and that's what I would do.

"Then I'll find you and I'll bring you back," Emma told him.

"Then you wouldn't be helping the maid," Henry told her smug.

"I am just trying to be responsible here." Emma gave the two of us a look.

"And I'm just trying to spend time with you," Henry told her while getting into the backseat of her car.

"Oh, that is really not fair," she groaned while climbing into the car with us.

"That's our Henry," I mumbled and she just gave me a look and I shrugged again.

"So the maid, what's her story?"

* * *

Neverland - Past

I was sitting on one of the limbs in the trees overlooking the beach and staring at my father's ship.

"If you go to him, you'll be breaking your deal with Pan." I sighed at Felix's voice.

"Go away, Felix. I don't break deals." He just sat down next to me. I did my best to ignore his stares.

"He's looking for you," Felix told me.

"Then he can come to get me himself."

"That's not up to you," he said and I finally looked at him. The scar across his face was still fresh.

"I'm not going with you back to him," I insisted.

"You will go back-"

"I never said I wouldn't," I interrupted him. "I said I wouldn't go back with **you**. Big difference."

"You'll save us a lot of trouble if you just do as you're told," he told me and I scoffed at him.

"Causing trouble is what pirates do, and it happens to be a skill I've perfected," I told him. "Now, do as I said and go away."

"Pan will not be pleased," he told me.

"He never seems to be," I sighed.

"Don't I?" I closed my eyes and sighed at the voice behind us. I turned to see Pan floating in the air glancing between the two of us. "Go back to camp, Felix." I turned back to the view in front of me.

"What do you want?"

"For you to come home." I scoffed at his words.

"Home?" I asked him. " **That** is my home," I said motioning to the ship in front of me before standing and turning to him. "You took me from my home and are forcing me to stay on the island away from the only family I have left in any realm."

"We made a deal-"

"That you forced on me!" I shouted. I could see he was getting angry, but I didn't care. "You blackmailed me into this deal and it was always going to work in your favor."

"I'm-"

"The demon my father told me you were," I interrupted. "I never should have made that deal."

"You don't know what you're saying," he said while keeping his tone calm with touches of anger seeping through.

"No, I know exactly what I'm saying. I'm done playing your game. Why did you make this deal?" I asked him finally.

"You're not ready to understand," he told me and I shook my head at him.

"I'm not a child, Pan, and I'm not one of your Lost Boys. I can understand more than what you think," I said.

"Not this you won't," he said moving closer to me.

"What's so important that-" Pan stopped my words, but not in a way I was expecting. His lips were soft and his kiss gentle. He held my head in his hands so I couldn't pull away from him, but I didn't want to.

* * *

Storybrooke - Present

Our search for Ashley took us to Granny's Bed and Breakfast to her best friend, Ruby. Emma explained that Ashley broke into my dad's pawn shop and stole from him, but what she didn't know. Ashley had been working at the B&B for as long as I could remember and this was the first time she'd ever done something like this before.

"So, this boyfriend of hers, you don't think he was involved in her disappearance?" Emma asked Ruby as she worked and Billy lowered her car onto the ground slowly.

"Uh, that would mean that he was involved with her at all, which he isn't. He left her in the lurch right after they found out they were expecting," Ruby told her sourly. "Hasn't spoken to her since. Like I said he's a..." Billy's truck dropped her car quickly. "Hey, hey, hey Billy, be careful. You almost shattered my wolf thing, Billy. It's good luck."

"I'm sorry Ruby, but look, it's fine," he said pointing at it. The charm was clear but had a touch of red in it.

"Um, Ruby what about her family?" Emma asked her.

"Oh, um she's got a stepmom and two stepsisters that she doesn't talk to," Ruby told us and Henry couldn't help but touch on this.

"Wait, stepmom, stepsisters, and she's a maid?"

"Henry, not now."

"Look, I don't know what you've heard, but it's wrong. Everyone thinks she's not ready to have this kid, but she's trying, taking night classes, trying to better herself, trying to get her life together. Can you understand that?" Ruby asked Emma.

"I think so."

"Then maybe you should just stay out of it. She's been through enough already."

"I've been through it, too, Ruby, and I can help her," Emma tried assuring the girl.

"Then try her ex," Ruby told her.

"Where can I find him?"

"He lives with his dad."

* * *

Henry and I waited in the car while Emma went to the front door and knocked. Ashley's boyfriend, Sean Herman, answered the door as a car pulled into the garage.

"Can I help you?" Emma asked him confused.

"Sean Herman?"

"Yeah. Who are you?"

"I'm Emma Swan. I'm... I'm looking for Ashley Boyd. She's in trouble. I just thought maybe she came to see you," Emma told him as his father exited the car and approached the house.

"My son doesn't have anything to do with that girl anymore, so whatever trouble she's in, I am sorry for, but there's nothing we can do to help you," Mr. Herman told Emma.

"You're the reason he broke up with her," Emma guessed.

"Absolutely. I'm not gonna let my son throw away his entire life over a mistake," Mr. Herman admitted.

"So you just told him to leave her?"

"Well, what are they going to do, raise the child in the backseat of a car?"

"Some people only have the backseat of a car."

"Well, they're to be pitied. I'm not letting that happen to my son," Mr. Herman told Emma while walking into the house.

"Dad, maybe we should help her look," Sean told his father.

"It's a waste, Sean," Mr. Herman told her.

"Sean, if you want to come, come. Stop letting other people make decisions for you. If Ashley runs away with this baby, she's gonna be in some serious trouble," Emma told him.

"She's running away with the baby?" Sean almost sounded hopeful.

"Yes."

"Sean, inside. Now." Sean did he was told and Mr. Herman continued to speak with Emma. "Look, believe me if I knew where she was I would tell you. I went to a lot of trouble to get her that deal."

"Deal? What are you talking about?" Emma asked him confused.

"You don't know? Ashley agreed to give up the child. And she's being paid very well to do so," Mr. Herman told Emma and I sighed.

"She sold the baby?" Emma asked mildly shocked.

"Oh, you make it sound so crass. I found someone who's going to find that child a good a proper home."

"And who are you to judge whether Ashley is capable of providing that?" Emma asked him. Something told me this was about more than just Ashley and Sean.

"Look at her, she's a teenager, and she's never shown any evidence of being responsible. How could she possibly know how to be a mother?" Mr. Herman asked her.

"Maybe she's changing her life."

"Everybody says that. Now look, I found someone who's going to pay Ashley extremely well, someone who is going to see to it that everybody's happy," Mr. Herman told her.

"Mr. Gold."

"Well, isn't that why you were hired, to bring him the baby?" Mr. Herman asked her confused.

* * *

"My dad makes a lot of deal with a lot of people," I told Emma as we drove down the road. "And no one breaks one of his deals."

"Happy to be the first," Emma told me and I sighed. "If Ashley wants to have this baby, she should have it. Anyone who wants to be a mother should damn well be allowed to be one." She pulled the car into Granny's and we all climbed out and walked inside to see Ruby standing at the counter.

"Why didn't you tell me she sold the baby?" Emma asked as we walked up to her.

"Because I didn't think it was important."

"Really, considering that's why she's running away?" Emma asked sarcastically.

"Look, Ashley's my friend. I don't like the idea of people judging her," Ruby defended. I watched Emma pick up a wolf figurine that had been in Ruby's car and followed her gaze to the street outside. Ruby's red car was missing.

"Ruby, where's your car?" Ruby didn't answer and looked away from Emma. "You didn't send me to Sean to find her, you sent me there to give her a head start."

"Look, I'm only trying to help her," Ruby told her.

"Yeah, so am I. Ashley's in more trouble than you know, Ruby. Where is she? Don't make her deal with Gold without me," Emma nearly begged her.

"I can't talk in front of them. He's the mayor and Gold's kids," Ruby said motioning to us.

"Hey, we're on your side," Henry told her and she just stared at us.

"Henry, I need to find this woman, and in order to do that, I need you to go home, okay?" Emma asked him. I placed my hand on Henry's shoulder and nodded when he glanced up at me. "So please listen to me, seriously. She's not gonna tell me anything if you're around."

"Okay."

"Thank you." Henry and I walked outside and Henry went straight for Emma's car.

"Henry, what are you doing?" I asked him confused.

"Getting in the trunk. Come on," he told me and I sighed.

"Why does this seem like a bad idea?" I sighed.

"Think of it as an adventure," he told me.

"I'd rather just go home," I said before following him.

* * *

Once Emma was a fair distance from Granny's going towards the town line, Henry popped his head up so he could speak to her.

"What did she tell you?"

"Henry! Claire! What the hell?" Emma asked as I popped my head into view and he crawled over the seat. "I am going to Boston, you can't come with me."

"You can't go to Boston, she can't leave! Bad things happen to anyone that does," Henry told her.

"I don't have time to argue with you over the curse. I've got to get you home," Emma stated.

"Ashley is a severely pregnant woman driving a four-hour trip to Boston," I reminded her. "We don't have time for you to take us back to his house."

"We have to stop her before she gets hurt. We're wasting time," Henry added.

"Henry..."

"And then Mr. Gold will call the police, and he'll have her sent to jail," That seemed to put the last nail in the coffin.

"Buckle up." I moved from the trunk into the backseat with Henry. "Ashley, what did you get yourself into?"

* * *

Neverland - Past

I stood on the deck of Father's ship lightly rubbing my fingers over my lips. It was as if I could still feel his lips on mine. It'd almost seemed desperate, yet he was so gentle.

"Catherine." I turned to my father and quickly dropped my hand from my face. "You alright, love?"

"I'm fine," I insisted. "Are we ready to sail?"

"Not quite yet." He looked me over and I gave him a questioning look. "What happened on the island?" I froze. Could he tell somehow?

"They hunt and dance around campfires," I told him. "What else would they do?"

"Has **he** done anything to you?"

"What could he possibly do to me that hasn't already been done?" I asked him. "The Dark One took my mother before I could even know here and he took your hand. Nothing else matters to me except you and getting our revenge. It can't." That would be my promise to myself. I'd distance myself from Pan and the Lost Boys. I needed to focus on what was truly important in my life.

"When I met your mother, I expected it to last one night," he told me. "I didn't expect to find love let alone have a child of my own. If you've found happiness here..."

"Stop!" I demanded. "I am Catherine Jones and I will not falter in what must be done for our happiness."

"Happiness can have many forms, Catherine," he assured me. "Don't throw one away so easily."

"After we get our revenge will we come back here?" I asked him, but I received no answer. "Exactly. Why bother getting attacked to people I will never see again?"

* * *

Storybrooke- Present

As we got closer to the town line, we spotted the red car on the side of the road.

"I told you. It's her car," Henry pointed out. Emma pulled over and we all exited the car and ran to Ruby's.

"Ashley?" Emma called out as we got closer. We looked in the car and saw it was empty.

"Aaah!" We followed the screams to see Ashley sitting in a patch of grass near the car holding her womb with her legs open. "My baby. It's coming."

* * *

Ashley and I sat in the back seat of Emma's bug as Emma drove as quickly as she could to the hospital in Storybrooke.

"Is the baby really coming?" Henry asked turning to look at Ashley.

"Turn around, Henry," I ordered.

"Oh, yeah," Emma answered him. "Don't worry. The hospital isn't that far."

"No, no, no, no, take me to Boston. I can't go back there," Ashley insisted as her contraction finally ended.

"Oh, no we don't have four hours, trust me. I know," Emma told her.

"I can't go back there, please," Ashley sobbed. "He's gonna take my baby."

"I won't let that happen," Emma told her.

"Emma," I gave her a look through her rearview mirror as Ashley had another contraction.

"But do you know what you're asking for? If you keep this child are you really ready?" Emma asked Ashley.

"Yes!" Ashley yelled as her contraction ended. I rubbed her back and was sorry I couldn't do more.

"Are you sure? Because I wasn't." That drew everyone's attention. Especially Henry's.

"You weren't?" Ashley asked her.

"Nope. If you want to give this kid its best chance, it's gonna be with someone who's ready, so know what that means. Your whole life is gonna change, and once you decide that it's yours, this running away can't happen. You have to grow up, and you can't ever leave. Understand?" Emma asked her.

"Yes. I want my baby." Cue another contraction as she took my hand in hers and squeezed.

* * *

The three of us sat in the hospital waiting room while Ashley had her baby.

"You know Emma, you're different," Henry suddenly said.

"What's that?" Emma asked confused.

"You're the only one who can do it," he said.

"Break the curse? Yes, I know. You keep telling me that," Emma sighed.

"No, leave. You're the only one who can leave Storybrooke," Henry explained.

"You left and came and found me in Boston," she reminded him.

"And made us all worry like crazy," I added.

"I came back," Henry reminded us. "I'm ten. I had no choice, but if anyone else tried to go, bad things would happen."

"Anyone, except me?" Emma asked him.

"You're the savior. You can do whatever you want. You can go," he insisted.

"Ms. Swan," We all stood up and turned to see the doctor smiling at us. "The baby is a healthy six-pound girl, and the mother is doing fine."

"What lovely news." We turned to see my dad smirking at the three of us. "Excellent work, Ms. Swan. Thank you for bringing me my merchandise."

* * *

Neverland - Past

I left the dingy my father had rowed to shore and started walking through the forest to Pan's camp without looking back. Part of me was happy to go back, while the other knew I had to stay away.

"You were gone quite awhile this time." I turned to see Pan leaning on a tree and looking me over. I'd gotten a bit cut up in a skirmish while on the open sea.

"We ran into some problems," I told him. "Don't worry about it."

"I could heal you," he said getting off the tree and moving towards me.

"No," I insisted, moving away from him. "Magic has done enough in my life."

"Healing you won't cause harm," he laughed.

"All magic has a price," I stated. "One I refuse to pay." He appeared next to me and waved his hands over my injuries. "I told you not to!"

"I won't see you hurt." I opened my mouth to say something, but no words could come out.

"Just leave me alone," I pushed past him and tried to continue to camp, but he pulled me to him.

"I thought you learned this already," he whispered in my ear. "I won't leave you alone. This is my island."

"Let me go." My voice was quieter compared to how I'd wanted it to sound.

"Now, do you really want that?" he asked and I could hear the smirk.

"Yes?" Damn it. Why was this harder than I thought it would be? I **can't** be falling for the Demon! "Just leave me alone."

"Why?"

"I'm leaving the island once the Dark One is dead," I told him. "And I won't be coming back. Why bother getting attached when I'll be gone?"

"You never know what the future holds, Catherine," he whispered in my ear and I couldn't stop the shudder down my spine at his breath going across my ear and neck. "You could end up here forever. By my side."

* * *

Storybrooke - Present

After my dad showed up, he and Emma spoke quietly for a moment before she, Henry, and I went in to see Ashley holding her baby with a soft smile on her face.

"Hey. What's her name?" Emma asked her.

"Alexandra."

"That's pretty."

"Thank you for getting me here."

"Mr. Gold was outside," Emma told her and Ashley looked up alarmed. "I took care of it. She's yours."

"She is? But what did you do?" Ashley asked.

"Made a deal with him," Emma shrugged but I couldn't help but wonder her end of the bargain was.

"Thank you. Thank you."

"Oh, hey kid, it's almost 5:00. You gotta get home." With those words the three of us ran from the room and into her car.

* * *

""Pumpkin"," Emma suddenly said in the car on our way back to Henry's house. "My code name. I was thinking in honor of Cinderella... "Pumpkin."" Henry shook his head at her. "You got a better one in mind?"

"Yep."

"Well?"

"I'm not sure you're ready yet," Henry told her as she pulled up at the house. We juped out of her car and went for the door.

"Henry! About what you said at the hospital, about me being able to leave?" Emma reminded him and I felt my heart stop for a moment.

"Yeah?"

"See you tomorrow."

"Come on, kiddo," I told him. "We better get inside." Henry and I ran into the house just as his mother was pulling in. We ran up the stairs and into his room where he was reading and I opened a random book I had left here.

"Henry? Henry? What did I tell you? Do not... leave your shoes lying around on the stairs. Someone could get hurt." She tossed his shoe next to him on the bed as he nodded before she left.

"Let's not do that again," I told him and he laughed a bit.

"Don't worry. One day you'll see the fun in it."

"I doubt it."


End file.
